THE OPENING TIP: The University of Minnesota Duluth look to continue its hot streak against Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference opponents in Minot State and UMary.

SCOUTING REPORT ON MINOT STATE : The Beavers are coming off a two game week, one where they would split at home, and now carry a 3-2 overall record. They started off the week with a win against Valley City State University, winning in a solid 781-57 win. They would go on to open up their conference schedule against UMary, dropping the match by a 16 point margin, 50-66. MISU was chosen to finish eighth in the Northern Division of the NSIC, and 15th overall in the conference this season. Mark Graupe is in his 7th season as a head coach, three with Minot State. He carries a 99-82 (.547) overall with a 30-31 (.492) while with MISU.
Mariah Payne was chosen as the Player to Watch this season for the Beavers, as she leads the team averaging 16.8 per game. She also manages to nab 4.3 rebounds per game, which sits fifth on the team. The next closest player in points per game on the squad is Calli Delsman, who drops 8.6 per game, and grabs 6.2 rebounds per game, which is leading the squad.

SCOUTING REPORT ON UMARY: The Marauders are coming off of an opening conference victory and are riding a hot streak. They beat Minot State on the road to open up conference play, 66-50. They have been riding a six game win streak in the past three weeks. UMary was chosen to finish fourth in the Northern Division of the NSIC, and finish seventh overall. The Marauders are headed by Rick Neumann. Neumann carries a 113-101 (.528) in his eight seasons at the helm.
Cassie Askvik was chosen as UMary's Player to Watch this season, and she currently leads the squad with a 19.9 average in points per game. She grabs an average of 6.6 rebounds per game on the year, which sits second on the team. Lexi Schneider is leading the squad with an average of 8.5 per game, while dropping 11.2 points per game. The Marauders are averaging 39.4 rebounds per game, and lauren Totunda is third on the team with 6.0.

THE SERIES: The Bulldogs took both meetings against the Beavers last season, winning the first match-up by a 28 point margin in a 74-48 win. They would take the second match up with another 28 point win, this time dropping 79 while giving up 51. UMD has taken the last three of four match ups with Minot. The Marauders have fared a hair bit better against UMD, carrying a 2-2 record in the past four. The Bulldogs would split last season, dropping the first game last season in a six point difference, 82-76. The last meeting would go UMD's way, with the Bulldogs winning by seven in a 78-71 victory.

LAST TIME OUT: The Bulldogs had their conference opener delayed but a blizzard. UMD would have to wait an extra two days to take on the St. Cloud State Huskies, but the storm didn't delay the offensive display the Bulldogs would show. UMD would beat the Huskies in a 12 point victory, 71-59.

HOW THEY RANK: Below is a look at the Bulldogs overall record, preseason conference rank, and rank in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association DII Poll, as well as their opponents.
 

SCHOOL	OVERALL	PRE CONF.	WBCA
UMD	3-3	2ND	NR
MISU	3-2	8TH	NR
UMARY	7-3	4TH	NR

THE BROADCAST: The game between the Bulldogs and the Huskies will be available through live streaming capabilities at the following link:

UMDBulldogs.com/watch

Live stats are available through the same link, following the live stats button: UMDBulldogs.com/watch

THAT'S OUR BALL: The Bulldogs currently rank sixth in the NSIC in total rebounds with 245 in seven games this season. Brook Olson has been leading the charge and has an average of 7.1 per game, which is good for 10th in the NSIC, and has totaled 50, which is eighth in the NSIC.

PASS ME THE ROCK: The Bulldogs are currently in fifth in the NSIC in assists per game, averaging 16.29, and third for total assists with 114.  Sophomore guard Maesyn Thiesen is leading the way, leading the NSIC in assists per game with 5.2 (41st in DII) and sits in second in total assists with 38. Ann Simonet has helped along the way, with an average of 3.3 per game (eighth in the NSIC) and 23 overall (sixth in the NSIC).

TOP OF THE BOARD: UMD ranked either No. 1 or No. 2 in the NSIC in every single stat category as a team in 2018-19.  Along with ranking top or number two in every category, the Bulldogs ranked in the top six nationally (DII) in seven of those categories.

WHAT'S A TURNOVER: The Bulldogs ranked number No. 1 in all DII last season in assist turnover ration, finishing the season with a 2.20 average. UMD also held the top spot in DII in turnovers per game, finishing with an astonishing average of 5.0 per game. The next closest team was Walsh University, with 7.0.

BRICK CITY: The 34.5 field goal percentage was ranked first in the NSIC and sixth in all DII. The Bulldogs also were tops in the NSIC in blocked shots per game, and 24th in DII, with an average of 5.0 per game.

VALUE POSSESSIONS: UMD held the lowest turnovers in a single game last season, on that omitted just five turnovers. It was the season lowest recorded in DII.

OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN: returnees senior guard Taylor Schneider and senior forward Katie Stark will be the captains of the 2019-20 UMD Bulldogs.

FAMILIAR FACES: The Bulldogs return nine players from last years NSIC regular season/tournament winning team, including All-NSIC second team recipient junior forward Sarah Grow and All-NSIC Freshman team recipient forward Brooke Olson. Grow received NSIC Player of the Week honors once last season, on December 17th.

OLSON PLAYER TO WATCH: Sophomore forward Brooke Olson was named the Bulldogs preseason player to watch for the season. Olson finished 2018-19 averaging 5.4 (166 total) rebounds per game, ranking 20th in the NSIC. She shot .425 from the floor, finishing third on the team while attempting 233 shots (made 99). She's expected to have a breakout year on both sides of the ball. She averaged 20.1 minutes a game last season.
 
NSIC PRESEASON COACHES POLL: The Bulldogs have steadily climbed to the forefront of the NSIC the past four seasons under the new regime of head coach Mandy Pearson. Around the league, the coaches highlighted UMD as one of the teams to beat this season. UMD was picked to place second in the northern division and third overall in the NSIC.

The Bulldogs were picked this year to finish just behind MSU Moorhead in the northern division this year, finishing just three points back and receiving one first place vote. The Bulldogs did receive one first place vote for overall standing, finishing in third behind Sioux Falls (receiving six first place votes) and MSU Moorhead (finishing with nine first place votes).

Megan Hintz from MSU Moorhead was named  the NSIC North Division Preseason Player of the Year while Sioux Fall's Kaely Hummel was bestowed the NSIC South Division Preseason Player of the Year honors.

THE COACH: Fifth-year head coach Mandy Pearson has the program trending in the right direction. The Bulldogs have displayed definite signs of a program steadily rising the ranks. UMD doubled their win total from Pearson's first season at the helm and last season was another rewarding step as the Bulldogs finished 23-7 overall and 18-4 in league action, both program best season.

Already in four seasons, Pearson has evolved a trio of players to all-conference heights in forward Taylor Meyer, junior forward Sarah Grow and guard Sammy Kozlowski. Pearson's ingenuity has UMD boast one of the better defensive and ball control units in the nation. The Bulldogs were tops in all of Division II in turnovers per game and in the top-60 for points allowed per game in 2017-18. In 2018-19, UMD was No. 11 in points allowed per game, and No. 2 in fewest turnovers in all of Division II.

UMD officially announced in August 2015 the selection of former Saint Mary's University head coach Mandy Pearson to lead the next generation of UMD Bulldog women's basketball.

Pearson proved her ability to turn a program around while leading the NCAA Division III Cardinals since the 2007 season, providing stability to a program that posted a 7-18 record during the 2006-07 season and needed its third coach in as many seasons before she stepped into the role. Saint Mary's quickly moved up the ranks in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference under her guidance, securing its first playoff bid since 2005 during the 2011-12 campaign. A year later, the Cardinals posted a 22-5 record, second-best in program history, advanced to the MIAC Tournament semifinals, and earned a victory over UMD's Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference rival Winona State University. Pearson was named the MIAC Coach of the Year for the first time in 2012-13, repeating that feat a year later, and also earned the SMU Staff Recognition Award following that season.

Her last two years with the Cardinals, Pearson's squads posted a 42-13 combined record including a 24-4 mark--best in program history--in 2013-14. The team found itself ranked in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association/USA Today Sports NCAA III Top 25 Coaches' Poll and d3hoops.com polls for the first time ever, as high as no. 12 in 2013-14 and in the top-25 from d3hoops.com in 2014-15. In her nine seasons as the SMU bench boss, Pearson produced one d3hoops.com All-American selection in Courtney Euerle (an honorable mention in 2013-14), who also earned MIAC Player of the Year honors and was the only player from the entire conference to earn All-America recognition that season. Pearson also produced two All-NCAA III West Region Team members, nine All-MIAC award selections, seven all-conference honorable mentions, four All-MIAC Defensive Team selections, and four MIAC All-First Year Team picks.

Before joining Saint Mary's, Pearson served as an assistant with NCAA III Hamline University during the 2005-07 seasons after wrapping up a four-year playing career at another MIAC school, Concordia College of Moorhead. Pearson earned three All-MIAC selections during her playing career and was named a First Team All-American during her senior season in 2004-05. She was the first Cobber to achieve 1,000 points and 500 assists in her career. She also played softball for Concordia-Moorhead, earning All-MIAC citation on the diamond as well in her senior campaign. She earned a Bachelor of Artsin psychology from Concordia with minors in sociology, health and coaching. While coaching at Saint Mary's, she earned her Master of Arts degree in human development in 2013.

Over the last six years, Pearson has spoken at several camps and clinics, including the Minnesota State High School League Association Clinic in 2011. She also polished her own coaching acumen at the Nike Championship Basketball Clinic, the University of Wisconsin Green Bay, Northern State University, and Final Four Coaching Clinics.

2018-19 ACCOLADES: Two players, alumnae Sammy Kozlowski and junior forward Sarah Grow were named to the All-NSIC team. Kozlowski was named to the first team while Grow was honored with second team honors. Sophomore forward Brooke Olson was named to the All-NSIC Freshman team and Kozlowski was named the NSIC Defensive Player of the Year. The Bulldogs won NSIC Player of the Week a total of three times last year, with Grow winning it once in December and Kozlowski winning it twice in January. Eight Bulldogs were named to the NSIC All-Academic team. Alumnae Emma Boehm, Josie Buckley, Maizi Deihl, Sammy Kozlowski, senior Katie Stark, junior Ann Simonet, junior Payton Kahl and sophomore Sarah Grow were all honored to the team. Emma Boehm was named as the recipient to the NSIC Myles Brand All-Academic award.

ON TAP: The Bulldogs will continue their home stand by hosting Minot State (Dec. 6) and the University of Mary (Dec. 7).